Headin' to Catholic School

[Red]

(Note: Some of the following is boring backstory. Skip to the next paragraph if you're not interested)
Yeah, so I graduated from Middle School last month, and I was picked to enter a Private High School, which happens to be Catholic. I took those TACHS tests back in November and I got accepted into 3 schools (believe it or not). After picking the one I want, we payed all of the bills (9 grand can you fucking believe that?!) we got everything ready. I was pretty anxious to go, considering that I was a hardcore atheist, and may not be able to get along with many people. Now, if you read my return post, I said that before, I was an extremely militant atheist. After February, I kinda lost my new atheist self and starteed living only under the assertion that there may or may not be a God. After that change, I wasn't nervous anymore, and in fact I was excited. From what my brother told me, it is about 300% better than public school, and there are even benefits. Skipping forward a few months (now this was about three weeks ago), I voluntarily went to the camp that they had, so we could meet people there before we got to school in September. It was fucking amazing, we went rock climbing, water tubing, played many sports, went to a FUCKING waterpark, and I even starred in a play! Not to mention pretty much everyone at the camp fucking loved me. The counslers, Juniors, Sophmores, seniors, and even some of the alumni. They said I was funny (I think they may have given me too much credit) and it was just a fucking blast. Hell, even the Church sermons didn't bore me. In fact, they were actually pretty interesting! This just made me excited as hell to get to school.
TL; DR: Got into private school, was nervous, got over it, went to a camp, made new friends, is now excited about new school.

Now that's outta the way, lemme know what you think. Do you think it's weird for an atheist like me to be hype for private school? Should I be nervous about anything? Oh and by the way, if they ask about religion, I'll just go along with what they say. I won't risk losing a friendship, even if they seem like they would never in a million years. I don't take those kind of risks.

[EquALLity]

Oh yeah, I remember we discussed this on pm awhile ago.

It's too late to do anything about it, so whatever. The only thing I'm iffy about is funding Catholicism, but like I said, it's not like you can change that.

What do you mean at the end, where you said that you'll just go along with what they say? Are you going to pretend to be Catholic?

Why would you want to be friends with people who are bigots? If they wouldn't be friends with you if they knew you're an atheist, why bother with them?

Btw: About the militant atheism stuff, of course there could be a god who just created the Universe (there's still no evidence, so I don't think it's 50/50), but I don't see how it could be the Catholic god. Isn't he supposed to be omnipotent?

[Red]

It's too late to do anything about it, so whatever. The only thing I'm iffy about is funding Catholicism, but like I said, it's not like you can change that.

I can't complain.

What do you mean at the end, where you said that you'll just go along with what they say? Are you going to pretend to be Catholic?

Yes.

Why would you want to be friends with people who are bigots? If they wouldn't be friends with you if they knew you're an atheist, why bother with them?

While I do think it is irrational for one to unfriend someone due to things like disagreeing about religion, but hey, some people take it very seriously. I'm pretty sure it's better to not bring anything up about it, due to the fact that some people are unpredictable.

Btw: About the militant atheism stuff, of course there could be a god who just created the Universe (there's still no evidence, so I don't think it's 50/50), but I don't see how it could be the Catholic god. Isn't he supposed to be omnipotent?

I know that. I'm just referring to people who constantly critique religion and religious folk just for being religious.

[EquALLity]

While I do think it is irrational for one to unfriend someone due to things like disagreeing about religion, but hey, some people take it very seriously.

If they take it seriously to the extent where they wouldn't want to be friends with you because you're an atheist, why would you even want to be friends with them? They wouldn't like you for your true self.

The Confederacy took keeping the institution of slavery very seriously. Who cares if someone takes something very seriously? Shouldn't it matter why they do so, and if it's rational?

I'm pretty sure it's better to not bring anything up about it, due to the fact that some people are unpredictable.

I'm not saying you should necessarily bring it up, but what if someone asks you? Or implies that you do?

I know that. I'm just referring to people who constantly critique religion and religious folk just for being religious.

I think that religion should be critiqued, because of all the harm it inspires.

[Red]

While I do think it is irrational for one to unfriend someone due to things like disagreeing about religion, but hey, some people take it very seriously.

If they take it seriously to the extent where they wouldn't want to be friends with you because you're an atheist, why would you even want to be friends with them? They wouldn't like you for your true self.

The Confederacy took keeping the institution of slavery very seriously. Who cares if someone takes something very seriously? Shouldn't it matter why they do so, and if it's rational?

But if you ask me, it would be a waste. i remember making a post based on this topic a while ago. What I'm trying to say is that it's better for people to not know, just to keep happiness. Ignorance is bliss, if that's what they say. A made some solid friendships with these people, and from what I can tell, they are extremeley religious. I also just don't want to take any risks.

And about the slavery, when you think about it, the argument you just gave is a strawman. Slavery is entirely different than basing someone off their religion.

I'm pretty sure it's better to not bring anything up about it, due to the fact that some people are unpredictable.

I'm not saying you should necessarily bring it up, but what if someone asks you? Or implies that you do?

If someone asks, I will tell them that I accept the concepts of Jesus christ, however I am not the most religious person.. at all. Sure it's pathetic, but it's not worth losing a good friend over it, even if the act of rejecting me due to a disagreement is ridiculous.

I know that. I'm just referring to people who constantly critique religion and religious folk just for being religious.

I think that religion should be critiqued, because of all the harm it inspires.

But how does that help with the situation at hand? Not to mention, most of the time it's about the bigots in Utah, and how God isn't always powerful.

[EquALLity]

But if you ask me, it would be a waste. i remember making a post based on this topic a while ago. What I'm trying to say is that it's better for people to not know, just to keep happiness. Ignorance is bliss, if that's what they say. A made some solid friendships with these people, and from what I can tell, they are extremeley religious. I also just don't want to take any risks.

Maybe ignorance is bliss to some people, but if they care about the truth...

I just don't see why you would want to be friends with anyone who doesn't like you for who you actually are.

People can be extremely religious and not bigots. Maybe you should say that you're an atheist, but you admire some teachings of Christianity, like the the 'love thy neighbor' one, reminding them not to be bigots (without really saying it and making them defensive) if you tell them.

And about the slavery, when you think about it, the argument you just gave is a strawman. Slavery is entirely different than basing someone off their religion.

I agree that religious bigotry towards those not of your religion and racism are different (though the Bible does actually condone slavery), but my point is that they are both arbitrary, and that we shouldn't care if people arbitrarily take things very seriously.

If someone asks, I will tell them that I accept the concepts of Jesus christ, however I am not the most religious person.. at all. Sure it's pathetic, but it's not worth losing a good friend over it, even if the act of rejecting me due to a disagreement is ridiculous.

Oh, like this? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_atheism

I don't see how they're your friends if they are bigoted towards atheists (unless they're alright with being friends with people they are bigoted against), because you're an atheist. They're just friends with the person they think you are.

But I don't really think they'd all just disown you if they found out you're an atheist. An entire school, filled with bigots?

But how does that help with the situation at hand? Not to mention, most of the time it's about the bigots in Utah, and how God isn't always powerful.

It was just in response to what I thought was a suggestion that it's bad to critique religion.

What are you talking about with Utah etc.?

[Cirion Spellbinder]

I went to Christian school from Elemntary School to Junior High School. The latter was Catholic. Maybe it's because I lived in California, but a majority of the students were very liberal. Many were Christian, but weren't bigoted. I was openly atheistic, and at least in Junior High, was accepted for who I was. I never pretended to be Christian (in Junior High) and I faired fine. I'd hope this experience would be the same for you in High School. I personally don't think I would ever tolerate a bigoted Christian environment, which I believe has been implied as being present.

[brimstoneSalad]

1. Pretend to be catholic
Become increasingly invested in friendships based on a lie, and become increasingly afraid and anxious that you will lose all of your CLOSE friends if they ever found out. And they'd be right to not be friends with you if they did, because you lied to them.

2. Be honest, but keep it chill and toned down
Make it clear you don't believe in anything supernatural, but you respect their right to believe. You don't have to use the word 'atheist'.
It's a big school, people will still be friends with you, and you won't have to be afraid of people finding out, and be stuck living a lie.
Also, you'll have a lot of really interesting discussions. You'll meet people who like discussing religion, and you'll learn a lot.

Do what you want.

[Red]

@brimstoneSalad Advice. Taken.

[Lightningman_42]

I don't know if you've made up your mind already, but I'd like to encourage you not to deceive anyone into thinking that you're Catholic.

If someone will look down on you for exercising critical thinking skills, and not holding beliefs without evidence (particularly regarding the supernatural), then they're probably poor friend-material. Perhaps you could avoid describing yourself as an "atheist"* when speaking with others whom you've not known for very long. If however you become good friends with open-minded individuals, then they ought not to ostracize you simply for being an atheist.

How have people reacted to you being vegan? Are they curious and inquisitive about it? Have you met anyone with preconceived notions of atheists lacking morality or not having any rational basis for morality? If so, then the concept of a vegan atheist might be fascinating to them and could allow you to have insightful conversations about secular morality.

*Does the word "atheist" scare people? If many of the students at your school are deeply religious, have they been taught to believe that "atheists" are miserable, unscrupulous, Satan-worshipping God-haters? I realize I'm asking a lot of questions, but I'm curious to know, because I grew up in a secular environment with little exposure to deeply religious people. I wonder what it would feel like to be an atheist at your school, surrounded by such religious people.